Ayashi no Ceres: From Start to Finish
by paski's-gurlfriend
Summary: What would happen if another of Ceres' husbands arose? What would happen if Tooya's death is near & no one doesn't know what to do? What does Tooya's son have to do in the destruction of the Mikage family? The story's right here...
1. Disturbance

Chapter 1 - Disturbance  
  
8 o' clock in the morning. Aya Mikage scanned the living room and saw happiness. Why not? Her husband and her 3-year-old son were sitting in a plush blue divan, playing. Tooya, and her son, Ryujin were a perfect picture. Ryujin looked very much like Tooya, except that he got Aya's baby blue eyes.  
  
After the C-project incident, their life was quite peaceful. And Aya, deep in her heart, knew that she and her family deserved a big dosage of peace. Presently, her mother ran the Mikage International. She was recovering quite well, physically and emotionally.  
  
Aya let out a big sigh. That's good.  
  
Aya knew that if her mother died, she would inherit the business. Why turn down the offer? After all, she is a Mikage and she is the daughter of her mother. Like duh.  
  
She turned to the parlor that was just beside the living room. It was breathtaking. Everything in Aya's house, which she worked hard for by the way, was absolutely breathtaking. It was a largish house, a Tudor, located on a cliff in Hachijou Island. Far away from Tokyo? Yes, but that's what they need. Peace. The perfect medicine.  
  
She opened the French doors and the salty smell of the sea came wafting inside. The warm breeze filled the house, mixing with the cinnamon apple potpourri and the rich scent of the chocolate éclairs Kyu-chan was baking in the kitchen. " Hey!" Aya gasped as strong arms encircled her from behind. Tooya kissed her cheek as he did every morning. "How's my wife?" he asked, smiling.  
  
Aya smiled and replied, "Fine, thanks for asking. How is Ryujin?"  
  
Tooya let out a small snort and looked at Ryujin, who now played with his uncle Yuuhi. "Playing as you can see. He's an active young boy. I wonder who's genes did he inherit?" He joked and looked at Aya, "Ah. It must be yours."  
  
Aya laughed and shoved him and went to her son. "Mama! Look! Uncle Yuuhi play!" Ryujin exclaimed as he raised his pudgy little arms to his mother.  
  
Aya lifted him up and carried him in her arms. She looked at Yuuhi and smiled. "Thanks for trying to come here even with your busy schedule." She said.  
  
Yuuhi smiled back. "No prob. I wanted a vacation anyway. Why the hell do I fuckin' care about my restaurants anyway? I do care but it's successful. No need to worry." He said, and tried to gather the Lego blocks that were scattered on the living room floor and dumped it in its container.  
  
Aya smiled and shrugged. Yuuhi, after 3 years, have successfully opened his own restaurant called 'Alternative' which serves any kind of dishes you can ever imagine. It was a booming success. In less than a year, Yuuhi, with the help of the Aogiris, opened many 'Alternative' restaurants nationwide. He even has a franchise.  
  
Aya, on the other hand, was still studying in college, taking up a Business Management degree so she will know how to run the company someday. Tooya is assisting Aya's mother in the company.  
  
Tooya joined them. "So, how's Keiko, Yuuhi?" he asked.  
  
Yuuhi blushed. He had just gotten a girlfriend, a college student too, and his next love after Aya. "Fine." he managed to say, still blushing a cute pink color.  
  
Aya shook her head and stifled a laugh.  
  
BOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!  
  
Tooya craned his neck and hurried to the kitchen. "What in grandma's panties is going on!?!" Aya exclaimed and hurried to the kitchen as well with Ryujin still in her arms and with Yuuhi trailing after her.  
  
As the reached the cavernous kitchen, their mouths gaped in open. "WHAT IN GRANDMA'S PANTIES IS GOING ON?!?" Aya repeated, her voice high and loud.  
  
Kyu-chan was sitting in the middle of the floor; her face covered in soot. or is it ash? The kitchen was filled with it. It covered even the fruit on the small dining table in the middle of the kitchen. The oven was open and the tray that was once was a tray was crinkled and burnt, and on the floor a dozen or so éclairs was. mushed and all sticky. not recognizable.  
  
"Gomen Kudasai." she managed to say, with a smile on her face.  
  
'Aaahhh Kyu-chan, you should've let me bake those éclairs instead." Yuuhi said in a hoarse voice and clapped a hand to his head.  
  
"Look at this mess." Aya said, while scanning the blackened kitchen and brought her son down. She got a clean rag out from a cabinet and started cleaning.  
  
"No, let me." Kyu-chan offered, and tried to get the rag from Aya's hands. She let her get the rag.  
  
"Mattaku ne, my kitchen. my porcelain tiles. my state-of-the-art modern kitchen." Aya whispered.  
  
Tooya chuckled but still smiled. Aya tried to decorate their house with much flair and order, and yet, her cherished kitchen, not to mention expensive, was blackened because of defective éclairs. and defective bakers. Yes, he thought, state-of-the-art kitchen. does not go well with old-fashioned bakers. He looked at a black Kyu-chan and shook his head in exasperation and amusement.  
  
Yuuhi tried to help. "Ah, we will finish cleaning this kitchen after, what. forever?" he said, rubbing a candleholder with the rag he's holding.  
  
Shiing!  
  
Tooya whirled around in surprise and saw his son glowing in what looked like purplish light. That caught the other's attention.  
  
"Ryujin." Aya whispered, her face obvious to the shock and surprise that's she's feeling.  
  
Shiing!  
  
The kitchen glowed with the purple light, engulfing everyone and everything. After the purple light disappeared, Aya looked at the kitchen.  
  
The kitchen was clean, spotless of any dirt.  
  
Aya almost fainted. Tooya looked at his son, but there seems no change in him. Did Ryujin emanate a weird kind of power unconsciously?  
  
  
  
Night fell. A crescent moon was in the sky and the sea breezes turned cold. Crickets were chirping.  
  
Aya went out of their bedroom's bathroom in a Victoria's Secret silk nightgown and plopped on the bed. Tooya sat down beside her, bare-chested. Aya looked at Tooya and asked, "Isn't it weird? I mean, the incident this morning?"  
  
Tooya shrugged. "It seems pretty weird too. I mean, our son was doing it. You know, powers. Strange powers. Like ours before." he said.  
  
Aya shivered, as a chill went up her spine. What was happening to their son? Intuition struck. What if Ceres has to do something about this? Impossible. After all, she already returned to the sky with Mikagi. She closed her eyes, wishing that her thoughts were wrong.  
  
Tooya went behind her and hugged her from behind. His hands went to her full firm breasts. She let out a gasp. "Tooya!" she whispered.  
  
"Aya. don't think about what happened earlier. we have lots of time to think about that tomorrow." he whispered in her ear, his tongue licking her earlobe. Aya blushed.  
  
Tooya was almost every time in the mood for sex. And he was pretty good at it too. He once played games with her, tied her up, ravished her, "raped" her and did everything dirty with her. And hell, she loved every minute of it.  
  
Tooya removed his pajamas and his briefs and Aya saw his penis standing out so stiffly, so hard it would seem like it would break.  
  
"See," Tooya said, holding his cock, "It wants you."  
  
Aya removed her clothes and hugged Tooya. She kissed him, his tongue exploring every part of her mouth. Tooya's hand went to labia, felt the wispy, golden pubic hair and thrust his fingers inside. "Ah!" Aya cried in pleasure and threw her head back. She blushed even more as her vaginal juices trickled down her thigh and to Tooya's legs.  
  
"You're wet, huh?" Tooya asked, as he sped up the thrusting of his finger. Aya came and shouted a string of obscenities Tooya couldn't quite decipher.  
  
Aya panted hard as Tooya laid her on the bed. "Tooya. fuck me. I long for you. Come inside me." she whispered.  
  
Tooya smirked. "Not yet. not until I tease you first."  
  
Aya groaned as Tooya flicked his tongue over her pink nipples and sucked her areola. Her juices ran down again. Tooya licked and kissed her abdomen, to her navel, and then to her mons veneris.  
  
Tooya forced her legs apart and smelled her scent. She smells like a bitch on heat, he thought. Yeah. He thrust his moist tongue inside her labia minora and licked her.  
  
"Uhhh." Aya moaned. She grabbed Tooya's head and tried to bury his head into her dripping pussy.  
  
Tooya licked and sucked and pulled and nibbled her clitoris, which made Aya groan even more and release a flood of her love juice. He wanted her to cum. Oh yes he does. So she could return the favor.  
  
He inserted his middle finger inside her rectum and wriggled it.  
  
"SSSHHHIIIITTTTT!!!!" Aya cried, cumming and bucking her hips like a bronco. This continued for about 9 seconds..  
  
"Oh, Tooya." she whispered.  
  
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"  
  
A scream rippled in the night.  
  
Aya and Tooya stopped at the middle of their lovemaking, stood up and put their clothes back on.  
  
"What was that?" Aya asked, running out the door and into Ryujin's room.  
  
"Oh my God." Aya whispered. As Tooya glanced at the room as well, he knew what Aya pertained to.  
  
A bloody man with strange clothing was strangling their son.  
  
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Look forward for Chapter 2! Thank you for reading!!!! ^_^ 


	2. A Haunting Rhapsody

Chapter 2 - A Haunting Rhapsody  
  
"Ryujin!!!" Aya screamed and tried to wrestle off the man that was strangling her son. "Get off him!!!" she shouted once more.  
  
Tooya frowned and tried to help his wife. After all, he was just an ordinary man, and not the man with the mana. Finally, with the couple's combined strength, they wrenched the man free from their son, resulting to the smashing of the French windows as the man was thrown backward.  
  
"What's going on in here?" Yuuhi asked as he entered the room with Kyu-chan on his side.  
  
The man, who was now on the terrace looked at them, his eyes glowing the purplish light that they had seen that afternoon. "Foolish!" he began, and pointed an accusing finger at Aya, "Foolish nymph from heaven!"  
  
Aya's eyebrows met. What is this man saying? She thought. Nymph? Tennyo? Does he know something about Ceres?  
  
Tooya stepped forward. "What do you know about Ceres? And who are you?" he asked, his fists balled, ready to strike at any time.  
  
The man smirked. He didn't break his stare at Aya but answered the question. "Ceres? Yes, Ceres. That name. Perhaps this will refresh your memory?" He undid a brown cord from his shoulder blades that tied his intricately patterned brown moccasin shirt and revealed a necklace with a feather as its pendant and glowing the same eerie purple color.  
  
"Ugh!"  
  
Tooya looked at his wife and saw that she was shivering. She was clutching herself as if she was cold or she was likely to burst out her guts out.  
  
Aya felt like she was transported 3 years back. It was hauntingly the same feeling she felt 3 years ago, exactly three years ago, the 1st time she let Ceres out. It seemed like needles were pricking her skin, like the spines of sea urchins or a puffer fish trying to go out of her.  
  
Aya! Release me! Release me like you did before!  
  
Aya's eyes opened in fright. How come that voice was so familiar? Is it her conscience? Hardly. What was it then? Aya shook her head in disbelief. It can't be, she thought. It just couldn't be.  
  
Aya!!! Release me now!!! Your son is in grave danger!!!  
  
At the mention of her son and also because of the unbearable pain, she gave up and slept.  
  
Tooya, Yuuhi and Kyu-chan almost gasped as the purplish light emanated from Aya, and they saw something at her feet.  
  
The Tennyo symbol.  
  
"Oh boy." Yuuhi whistled.  
  
Aya's golden hair turned ebony black and her cheery baby blue eyes turned a hazy amber color. Her pinkish lips turned an intense blood red.  
  
"How ironic that history repeats itself once again." Ceres said, smirking, as her form took place.  
  
The man laughed. "You're right my dear wife, how ironic."  
  
Ceres scowled and pointed a finger at him. "What are you doing here? I thought I killed you, sent you to hell. Maybe the devil sent you back to take me with you, right?" she said bitterly.  
  
The man smiled. "Why, Ceres, no. I just want to see you again."  
  
Ceres snorted. "As if. You just want my blood spilled to the ground."  
  
Yuuhi looked at the both of them. What is going on? Don't tell me that another of Ceres' husbands have come to cause havoc in our life? Yuuhi thought, rolling his eyes. Geez, another soap opera's gonna be rolling.  
  
"Before you exchange obscenities, you better tell us what's going on." Tooya said to the man.  
  
The man raised an eyebrow. "Another one of your seed donators, Ceres?" he asked.  
  
Ceres' eyes narrowed. "You'd better stop that, Aoki. And you'd better not hurt him." She said, her voice not lowering 'temperature'.  
  
"Don't worry Ceres, I'm not going to hurt him. It's you I'm going to hurt."  
  
"CAN YOU TELL US YOUR FRIKIN' STORY NOW!!!!????!!! WE DON'T KNOW A FRIKIN' SINGLE THING!" Yuuhi shouted.  
  
Ceres looked at Yuuhi and smiled ruefully. "Ah Yuuhi, it's still the same you." She said softly.  
  
Yuuhi blushed. After all, a gorgeous woman like Ceres gave him a compliment. Her beauty didn't even compare to Keiko. Keiko's beauty is more on the cute type, but Ceres' beauty is classical, striking. He blushed once more.  
  
Aoki chuckled. "Fine then. You want to know that story before it ends now? I'll tell you."  
  
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Author's note: The next paragraphs are Ceres and Aoki's life years ago. So it's a flashback. I'll tell you whether you are ready to return to reality. *^_^*  
  
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Years ago, in ancient times, when Japan was still young and life was still prosperous, legends came about, and one of the oldest was the "Legend of the Tennyo."  
  
A tribe in Sapporo worshipped the goddess and the mother of all Tennyo. They have a hut just for her worship, they bring her the freshest flowers everyday and they clothe her image in embroidered silk.  
  
In return, the goddess blessed their tribe with good harvest, victories in war and strong children.  
  
The chief of the tribe had a son named Aoki. He was handsome, strong, wise and kind. All the girls in the village adored him. All longed to marry him.  
  
But the chief was greedy and wanted the best for his son. He conjured up spells and rituals to call out Ceres from heaven. Ceres indeed came down.  
  
And that's when things started to go wrong.  
  
  
  
Ceres lay at her hut, and looked around the humble place. It's so nice, she thought, the people here are living a good life. She smiled, and lay down further on her bed of furs.  
  
But the chief was bothering her. 'Marry my son in exchange for my life.' Ceres shook her head. She had definitely seen his son, and she had to admit that Aoki was the man she was looking for. But she wouldn't take the chief's life.  
  
There was a knock on the bamboo door. "Please come in." She said, standing up to welcome who that was.  
  
The door opened and Aoki came in. "Hello. Am I bothering you?" he asked, smiling.  
  
Ceres smiled back. "No, please sit down the bed." She answered.  
  
Aoki brought food and flowers. "You must be hungry. Here's some food. The best chefs in our village cooked that for you." He said, handing the tray of food to her.  
  
"Oh! Thank you. This looks very delicious." She pointed to the bowl of rice and steamed fresh seafood. She reached out for the chopsticks on the side of the tray and began eating.  
  
Aoki smiled. He seemed very pleased.  
  
After she finished, she put the tray aside and looked at Aoki. "So. Is there anything else I can help you with?" she asked.  
  
He shrugged. "I don't know. It's just that my father wants me to marry soon."  
  
"What's wrong with that?" Ceres asked.  
  
He sighed. "Frankly, I don't know. Maybe I'm too young. And probably because I have seen the right girl but I don't think she deserves me." He explained.  
  
Ceres laughed. "Nonsense! A girl would be honored to have you as her husband." She retorted, disbelief showing on her face.  
  
"Really?" he asked, his voice turned eager. "Can you tell what can I do to win her heart?"  
  
She laughed once more. "That's easy. Bring her flowers. The freshest, the most beautiful of all its kind. And of course, you need to be a complete gentleman."  
  
After the day she said this, day after day Aoki sent her freshly picked roses and lilies and became increasingly polite and gentle to her.  
  
It became obvious that he loved her.  
  
  
  
It was about a month when he first courted her.  
  
Ceres was planning on what to do next. She really didn't like him. Yes, he was sweet and everything, but she can't do anything but to play his game. After all, her job was just to pass on her genes for a new generation.  
  
One warm summer's night in Ceres' bedroom, Aoki came in and talked to her, just the same way he'd talk to her every night for a month.  
  
When Aoki was about to leave, Ceres grabbed his rough hands and said, "Don't go."  
  
Aoki looked at her with passion in his eyes. Ceres untied the cords that wrapped her clothes. He watched it fall to the floor. He saw her creamy luscious skin, her big and round breasts with erect nipples, and her hair between her legs. She excited him. His cock hardened.  
  
Ceres, still holding his hand, held it up to her breast. "I love you, Aoki. I'm ready to give you everything. Please make love to me." She pleaded, her voice filled with sexual awakening.  
  
Aoki smiled and didn't resist. "I love you too."  
  
Ceres untied his clothes and they both lay on the bed. "How I've longed for this, Ceres." He whispered in her ear as he fingered her vagina.  
  
She moaned in delight. "Nor I, Aoki."  
  
They teased each other and came together in their sensuous foreplay. Ceres, dripping in sweat after sucking Aoki's cock for a long while, lay beside him again and kissed him hard.  
  
"Please enter me now. I need your intimate touch. Let us come together in ecstasy. Please." She said to him.  
  
Ceres' erotic words ignited fire on his inner being and in result, grabbing Ceres and pinning her on the bed. He spread her legs and with his hard tool, rammed inside her.  
  
"Ah!"  
  
Aoki, now blinded by lust, rhythmically moved up and down, pumping faster and faster. Her wetness made him harder than before.  
  
"Oh, Aoki!" She called his name, and dug her fingers in his back.  
  
Ceres was very wet by now, and her whole body was dripping with sweat. Heavens, she thought, he's good!  
  
"Ah! Ah! Ah! AH! AH! AAAAAHHHHH!!!!" Ceres groaned as she came, grinding her loins in time with Aoki's pumping.  
  
"Ugh!!!" Aoki gasped, his creamy white seed flowed inside her and some even dripped down her inner thighs.  
  
After that, Ceres lay panting on the bed, her whole body tired and wanting to sleep. Aoki smiled and lay beside her. He brushed a wet strand of hair that hung in front of her face. "How was it?" he asked.  
  
Ceres smiled genuinely. "It was wonderful." How wonderful indeed!  
  
Aoki snuggled in her arms. " I wish it would be like this forever." He said.  
  
Ceres nodded.  
  
He looked up at her and gazed in her eyes. "I love you, Ceres." He whispered with much emotion.  
  
She forced herself to say the words. "I love you too."  
  
  
  
Aoki and Ceres were married a week later. Three years later, they had a daughter named Katsumi.  
  
Ceres never loved Aoki anyway, but tried to make him happy. She just treated him secretly as a good friend. But she didn't have the courage to tell him what she really felt. After the chief died, Aoki took his place. Eventually, he didn't have enough time to spend with her and their daughter.  
  
As a result, Ceres looked for more promising prospects.  
  
One time she eyed a handsome fisherman in the village. She seduced him, and they ended up having sex in her bed. "But you have a husband!" he complained, but still pinning her to the wall and thrusting his cock to her pussy.  
  
"I don't care," she gasped, "All I care about is this moment."  
  
They fucked each other for several rounds, until finally, the door swung open.  
  
It was Aoki.  
  
  
  
Aoki didn't talk to her. He was disgusted of having his wife with another man. And doing it in their bed! It was unthinkable.  
  
He entered his daughter's room and saw the little girl sleeping. He carried her gently to not rouse her and they went to the temple of Ceres. At the foot of the statue of the goddess, he laid down his daughter. He took the hagoromo that was put on the right side of the statue, got a feather and pocketed it.  
  
"May I acquire power for revenge with her own skin." He whispered.  
  
He pulled out a sharp dagger from his pocket and raised it high. "And for power, I offer you my daughter's life!" he shouted, and sank the blade on his daughter's abdomen. Since the blade was terribly sharp, the little girl died in her sleep, while bleeding profusely.  
  
The door of the temple opened.  
  
Ceres stood there, looking at her daughter's dead body and her husband. She looked at him with raw hatred and tears in her eyes.  
  
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!!?"  
  
In her fury, before her husband could have any chance to attack her, she released her power and killed him.  
  
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Author's note: Okay! Back to reality!  
  
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Tooya and the others couldn't believe the story. It was too shocking, too gruesome. Yuuhi shook his head in disgust. "My God." He whispered.  
  
Ceres scowled. She was sorry for having hurt Aoki's feelings, but he didn't have to return again and kill everyone! And besides, he has his faults!  
  
Aoki smiled cruelly. "I asked power for revenge, and at last, I've received it."  
  
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Author's Note: Thank you very much for sticking up to my story! Please check back for Chapter 3! Luv y'all! *^_^* 


	3. The Fall of Tooya

Chapter 3 - The Fall of Tooya  
  
Ceres looked disbelievingly at Aoki. "Power? How?" she asked.  
  
Aoki threw his head and laughed. "Shallow, shallow Ceres. I plucked this teensy feather from your hagoromo." He fingered the pendant.  
  
(Author's note: Please remember that the hagoromo is made from feathers, as illustrated in Yuu Watase's art books).  
  
"Bastard! You bastard! That is also the reason why I never really loved you anyway!" Ceres exclaimed, her feelings of exasperation now obvious.  
  
Aoki smirked. "Correction. You never really loved me anyway for no reason at all. And I became a bastard because of you."  
  
Ceres screamed and threw a ball of purple energy from her hand to him. He just evaded it.  
  
"Why? Guilty, Ceres? Why not? If not, I think you have enough reason anyway. You returned to the heavens because of that man," he pointed to Tooya, "Who coincidentally is the mana. And who is going to die eventually."  
  
Yuuhi and Kyu-chan gasped. How did this man know that Tooya is eventually falling into death's cold hands? Who is he?  
  
Tooya frowned. Strange, he must've spying us years ago, he thought. He smirked and shook his head. "Frankly, I do not care if I'll die in a year or a week or so. All that matters to me is that I made my loved ones smile in my lifetime."  
  
Aoki laughed a bit and put his hands on his hips. "So you say. But because of your death you're going to shed the tears of your loved ones throughout their lifetime."  
  
Tooya flinched a bit. He has a good point of course. But to Aya, would his death amount to the happy times they have spent together?  
  
Ceres finally decided that this conversation was enough. "Go away, Aoki." She said in a soft voice.  
  
"Giving up?" He asked, but then smiled. "Very well. I think I should amuse myself with you first before I kill you. Think of it as an extension before your deadline." With that, Aoki floated in midair, took a last glance at them and flew off into the night.  
  
The others couldn't believe what just happened. They just stood in silence, not wanting to question anything to anyone.  
  
Finally, Ceres spoke up. "I am terribly sorry for having caught your family up in this mess. It is all my fault." She said as she hung her head.  
  
Tooya patted her back. "Don't worry. We understood what you have went through in the past, and I know you are different from the Ceres before. But it's Aoki's decision to take revenge on us. But you must know, you have behaved wrongly." He said in a stern voice, devoid of any feelings, but still sounding like a friend.  
  
Ceres' eyes watered. "I did do wrong, didn't I? But that was before I met Mikagi. Before I even knew what true love felt like. And I know now what he is feeling," Ceres looked at Tooya, her tears now spilling down from her eyes, "I am a slut."  
  
Yuuhi and Kyu-chan's eyes softened. To hurt somebody that loves you and regretting it, that must've been horrible!  
  
Tooya hugged Ceres, trying to console her. Just then, her black hair disappeared, and blonde hair took place. Aya was back.  
  
"Oh."  
  
Aya fainted in the arms of Tooya, who caught her in time. Tooya carried her to Ryujin's bed and covered her with a country quilt.  
  
"Mama." Ryujin said, going close to her mother and embracing her.  
  
Tooya looked at the sweet scene and wondered how many of that kind of scenes will he be seeing. He tore his eyes away from his family and looked at Yuuhi and Kyu-chan. "Well, as you heard from Aoki, my days are numbered."  
  
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Author's Note: I'm sorry if I made this chapter so short! I'll make it up to you next time! Look forward to chapter 4! *^_^*  
  
Another note: If you think there are too many sex scenes, that's part of my story and there is no malice included. 


	4. Unknown

Hello! Here's my Chapter 4! Hope you'll like it!  
  
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Chapter 4 - Unknown  
  
Aya's baby blue eyes opened and she saw the same thing every morning. The evergreen trees and the sunlight streaming in the white gauze-like drapes. The sky was a heavenly cerulean, and the birds chirping their high-pitched songs. The salty smell of the ocean mingled with the bagels and bacon that was placed in a tray and put in a table beside her. But this time, the French windows were broken which led Aya to think...  
  
The day turned gray before her eyes as she remembered the incident last night.  
  
Who was the man that strangled her son? Aya sat up the bed, placed the tray on her lap and began to eat the food in front of her. While eating, she heard a knock on the door. "Who is it?"  
  
Kyu-chan entered with a smile, bringing with her some fresh blankets, towels and curtains. "How is Madame Aya feeling?" she asked, as she opened the closet where the draperies are placed and piled the fresh curtains on top of the other curtains.  
  
Aya forced a smile. "I feel okay, arigatou gozaimasu." She noticed that Ryujin was gone. After all, she slept in Ryujin's room. "Kyu-chan, where is my son?"  
  
Kyu-chan sat beside her and fingered the bacon. "Hey, can I have some?" she asked, with a stupid smile on her face.  
  
Aya rolled her eyes. "That is not the answer I'm expecting." Kyu-chan giggled. Aya turned serious now. "Seriously, where is my son?"  
  
The maid shrugged. "You shouldn't worry. Sir Tooya took your son on a walk by the beach."  
  
Aya sighed. Isn't it lovely when her husband and son bond together? A smile formed in Aya's lips. Why not add another to make her husband happy? And maybe this time, it'll be a girl.....  
  
She giggled. After she finished the meal, Kyu-chan took the tray and left. Aya dressed up in a strappy flowery blue dress so to join her family in the beach.  
  
  
  
Tooya looked at the sun shining brightly in the horizon. In his arms he carried his child, who was all gurgling and happy. He smiled at Ryujin. "Look." He said, and pointed at the sun, "Isn't that beautiful?" he asked the cute little toddler in a baby voice.  
  
Ryujin smiled and with his fingers pointed to the sun as well. "Sun." he said.  
  
Tooya smiled even more. How smart his child was! And how bittersweet his life will be when it comes to an end. But before that time comes, he wanted to spend time with his family. He couldn't deny that there were tears in his eyes.  
  
Soft arms gripped him in a tight embrace from behind. "How's my husband?" asked a familiar voice.  
  
Tooya smiled. An angel's voice, he thought. A sweet, sweet voice. He wondered if the angel's voices in heaven would be in par with his wife's beautiful voice. Would this be our last conversation? After all, anything can happen after.  
  
"I feel great." Tooya said. There was a trace of doubt in his voice. And Aya noticed it.  
  
"Is there anything wrong?" asked Aya, breaking the embrace and facing Tooya.  
  
"Hi there!" Yuuhi shouted, waving from a short distance. The couple looked at Yuuhi as he came closer and scooped Ryujin in his arms. "Can I get him for a while?" he asked.  
  
Tooya nodded. "Be careful." Aya told them as they went closer to the water. With distractions taken care of, they continued their discussion.  
  
Aya held Tooya's hand in hers. "Care to tell me what's wrong?" she asked, as they walked on the shore, their feet sinking a bit in the soft white sand and the salty sea water tickled their ankles.  
  
Tooya looked at Aya's baby blue eyes. "You want the truth or you want to hear something that isn't true?"  
  
Aya pouted. "Of course I want the truth."  
  
Tooya sighed. This isn't very easy to explain. I mean, can you tell her that another of Ceres' husbands arose and wants to kill all Mikages or everyone for that matter? "Well..." He clumsily started.  
  
His wife looked expectantly, waiting for his answer.  
  
He couldn't tell a lie. Most especially to Aya. "Ceres' husband... Uh... Reincarnated or something like that, and he's out for revenge." He looked at a playing Yuuhi and Ryujin. "I think he's after or son too."  
  
Aya frowned a bit. She couldn't speak. It's repeating all over again? She thought, her heart plunging in despair, after years of peace something has come back to haunt us?  
  
"And that's not all..."  
  
Aya looked at Tooya, wondering what he's going to say.  
  
"You know that I'm not going to last that long, right? Well, I think my deadline's near." He said in a soft voice.  
  
Now, Aya's tongue froze. Now? Now? Why now? Of all the time in the world, why now? Now that Ryujin needs a father, now that Mikage Corporation needs a strong president and now that she needed him the most? Why now?  
  
She didn't notice that tears were slowly trickling down to her cheeks.  
  
Tooya's eyes softened. "Oh, darling.." He couldn't find the words to say to her. Instead of saying anything, he wrapped his arms around her.  
  
Aya did the same, clinging to him as if he's going to fade and never return. Well, that's supposed to happen. But Aya wouldn't let it. She just couldn't let it. "We'll fight it." She said in a strong voice, despite of all her sobbing.  
  
Tooya smiled a bit. Why not? He wanted to survive. When he was still joined with the mana, dying didn't matter. The mana would just restore him to perfection again and he would be brand new. But now he is human and surviving is just a natural thing. And for him, that's what makes you human, because humans don't last forever and all they have is here and now.  
  
And all he has is here and now.  
  
Here and now, with Aya, with Ryujin, with his friends and with world on his side. He has a reason to survive, not only for loved ones, but for himself too.  
  
He pulled Aya closer to him and kissed her.  
  
"Hey!" Kyu-chan called from a distance.  
  
Tooya and Aya broke from the kiss and looked at Kyu-chan. Yuuhi looked at the maid as well. Beside Kyu-chan was a tall woman with ebony black hair and hazy golden eyes. Aya's eyes widened in shock as the woman drew closer.  
  
Ceres.  
  
Yuuhi smiled and went over to the girl and kissed her on the cheek. Tooya looked at Aya and seemed to be just as confused as she is.  
  
Yuuhi led the girl to the couple. "Guys, she just arrived from the harbor earlier." He said, smiling to both of them.  
  
"Hi." said the girl, extending a hand.  
  
"She's Keiko, my girlfriend."  
  
Aya, in mixed emotions, just stared at the extended hand, her heart thumping wildly.  
  
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Author's note: Getting strange already? Well good! Hehehe. I'll keep you in mystery. See you in chapter 5! *^_^* 


	5. Shattered Crystal

Here's Chapter 5! If you might remember that I stated earlier in the previous chapter that Keiko is cuter than Ceres, it's true. She looks like Ceres, but in a child-like sort of way. Okay, with now further ado, here's Chapter 5! Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 5 - Shattered Crystal  
  
Yuuhi looked at Aya curiously. She was looking at Keiko's hand as if it was crawling with maggots.  
  
Keiko looked at Yuuhi with worry, and slowly withdrew her hand. "Um... is there anything wrong?" she asked in a soft voice. Obviously, she was timid. Why not, after the response that Aya just gave to her?  
  
Tooya shook Aya gently. "Aya..." he said.  
  
Aya jolted violently, as if waking from a trance. The others were surprised at the reaction. It had been a while when Aya noticed everyone was looking at her strangely.  
  
"Uh... Forgive me... Keiko." She said, smiling ruefully at her. "Why don't we go inside the house for a moment?"  
  
Keiko smiled back at her, relieved that she changed her initial expression. The others were relieved as well.  
  
Yuuhi smiled inwardly. Good, he thought. He looked at Ryujin and carried him up. Yuuhi's jaws were slack and hanging. It was fortunate that he didn't drop Ryujin after what he saw.  
  
"Guys..." he said, gulping, "You might want to look at this."  
  
The others looked at him and got the same reaction as Yuuhi.  
  
Ryujin held a shining pink ball with intricate gold lining and also a gold nucleus (it looked like a cell).  
  
(Author's Note: A bit of science here! The ball is pink because of its pink cytoplasm, the gold lining is gold cell membrane and the gold nucleus is the nucleus. Guess what this is?)  
  
Mana.  
  
(Author's Question: Is my description correct? If not, please tell me.)  
  
Aya clapped a hand to her mouth and gasped. What was mana doing here? Was there more than one mana? How did it get to her son's hands?  
  
Everybody watched as Ryujin happily played with it, bouncing it in the air with an occasional "Wee!" They became even more surprised when the mana went through the little boy... It seemed like the mana likes Ryujin..  
  
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!? SUDDENLY MY SON IS BEING POSSESSED BY MANA! WHAT IS GOING ON!?!" Aya yelled.  
  
She couldn't help being hysterical. Who wouldn't be, after being attacked by one of Ceres' husbands and then having to find out that your son found mana? It was too much, too fast. Everything was overflowing, and Aya just couldn't absorb it all.  
  
"Calm down, love, calm down." Tooya said in a reassuring voice as Aya broke down in tears.  
  
He understood what his wife is feeling. But then he looked at Ryujin. Mana? His eyebrows creased. Could that be his answer to his dilemma? Would that be his saving grace?  
  
  
  
Aya rested her head on the sofa, trying to relax. She needed a break. Everything was happening too quickly. She recalled the incident earlier. That was so strange. Mana? Another mana? Who knew that there would be two mana?  
  
A gush of air escaped from her mouth. All she wanted to do now is lie down and rest. She didn't want to think of anything else further.  
  
Tooya walked across the living room and sat beside Aya. He held her hand. "So... how are you feeling?" He asked.  
  
Aya thought that he was just running out of things to say to her. I mean, wasn't it obvious that she's tired and almost hopeless?  
  
Instead, "I'm quite tired but fine, thanks for asking."  
  
Tooya's eyebrows creased. "Are you sure?"  
  
Aya nodded. "Yeah. I just need a rest." She answered, untangled his hand from hers and went to their bedroom.  
  
Tooya sighed and just sat there. What could he say anyway? After all, they all needed a time out.  
  
But his time was ticking...  
  
  
  
A swirl of black hair engulfed her vision. Aya looked around, and saw that she wasn't in the normal world anymore. She saw Ceres staring at her, as if wanting to talk with her. A talk? That's what she's gonna give her.  
  
"What is happening Ceres? I don't understand it at all." She said.  
  
Ceres bowed her head slightly, as if from embarrassment. "I understand." Then she looked at Aya straight in the eye. "I'm sorry. I'll try my best to smooth out everything. Everything's my fault, y'know."  
  
Aya was not pleased with the answer. She wanted to know more. She wanted answers. She needed to know what to do, so she could at least help Tooya and her son. "What really happened?"  
  
Ceres sighed. Again, she retold the story that Aoki told Tooya and the others last night. When she was finished, Aya has the same reaction with the others.  
  
"But how?" Aya asked in a weak voice.  
  
Ceres shrugged. "I don't know either. To be honest I'm still trying to find that out. But one thing's for sure, he wants revenge, not just on me but strangely, with your family as well."  
  
"What can we do?"  
  
"I do not know. The best we can do right know is wait."  
  
Aya couldn't believe at what she just said. "WAIT? WHY WAIT? DIDN'T YOU KNOW THAT MY FAMILY AND FRIEND'S LIVES ARE ON THE LINE? MAYBE YOURS TOO. AAARRRRGGGHHHH!!! IT WOULDN'T MATTER TO YOU ANYWAY, SINCE YOU'RE DEAD!"  
  
Ceres swung her arms in exasperation. "Yes, I know, but I know Aoki more than you do. He loves mysteries and I am very sure that he'll drop hints. He's not a lowly guy, you know. He'll fight you with the same capability, strength or whatever you have." She explained.  
  
Aya rolled her misty eyes. She couldn't afford to wait. Her shoulders slumped. But if Ceres' statement was true, then she has no other choice but to wait.  
  
"Fine then, whatever you think is best." She said, surrendering to the painful fact.  
  
Ceres approached and hugged her. "You do not need to worry Aya. We're 2 halves of one whole. We can do it. I promise you, victory will once again be ours." She reassured her.  
  
Aya couldn't help but cry. Ceres was a true friend. A very true friend indeed. They are one, to be exact.  
  
The image of Ceres disappeared and Aya was left in the darkness....  
  
  
  
Aya's eyes opened. She was just having a dream. Ah, so now dreams are the means of Ceres to communicate with me, she thought. She didn't notice that it was midnight. The sky was dark and twinkling bluish white stars dotted the sky. By all means, it looks peaceful, but foreboding. What will happen next?  
  
Aya looked at her left and saw Tooya sleeping. She smiled inwardly. Aw, he looks just like a baby, she thought, and with her right hand, she caressed a moonlight-dappled cheek.  
  
Tooya stirred, but still remained asleep. She slipped out of the bed quietly, so not to rouse him. She wore her bunny slippers and got out of the bedroom to visit her son.  
  
She crossed the guestroom, where Yuuhi and Keiko slept. She stifled a laugh when she heard Yuuhi's loud snores that were enough to wake the dead. I wonder what happened there that made Yuuhi so tired? She giggled. Darn naughty thoughts.  
  
She finally arrived at the door of her son's room, and opened the door slowly. She expected Kyu-chan to smile at her as she entered, but what greeted her is the sight of Kyu-chan, out cold and sprawled on the floor...  
  
And Aoki cradling her son.  
  
Aya screamed the highest-pitching and loudest scream in her whole life.  
  
  
  
Tooya woke up due to Aya's ear-piercing screams. He rushed to where she is, which he guessed is Ryujin's bedroom.  
  
Yuuhi and Keiko went out of the guestroom and there was concern in their faces. "Aya!" Yuuhi whispered. Tooya nodded.  
  
They ran to the child's bedroom, only to find that Aya was kneeling down on the floor, her face covered because she was sobbing. Kyu-chan was still out cold.  
  
"What happened, Aya?" Tooya asked, kneeling down on the floor as well and hugging her wife's trembling form.  
  
Aya shook her head violently and cried more.  
  
"Tell me.." Tooya said in a comforting voice, stroking his wife's arm.  
  
Aya finally looked at Tooya with swollen eyes. "It's Ryu... Ryujin.... A... Aoki's ta... taken hi.. him.." she tried to explain, her voice breaking.  
  
Yuuhi and Keiko gasped. Yuuhi was helpless. He wished he could've done something. But instead they just looked at Aya, the poor mother, with pity.  
  
Tooya couldn't believe it. What does Aoki want with his son? He couldn't try to stop the tears from flowing from his eyes. He was a father, and Aoki has taken his pride and joy. Tooya's heart broke like shattered crystal.  
  
They were even more shocked as they heard an explosion echoing through the night..  
  
Every glassware fell to the ground and broke. The ceiling was crumbling. The floor was rocking. And realization struck. The house was falling down.  
  
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Author's Note: Finally! Hope you enjoyed it! Look forward to the next chapter! *^_^* 


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